Patent GB-1384101-A (GB)
Title: Transport installation with independent vehicles
IPC: E01B25/14
Filed: 1972-04-07
Abstract: 1384101 Transport system POMAGALSKI SA 7 April 1972 [7 April 1971 (2)] 16063/72 Heading B7L A transport system comprises independent non-self-propelled vehicles 26 running on a main track 10 and loop tracks 92, 94 with running rails 18, 20 and guide rails 22, 24, 96, the vehicles 26 having guide components formed by trolleys, e.g. 44, 46, 62 and 64 (not shown), carrying guide wheels 48 co-operating with the guide rails; a travelling traction cable 56 throughout, the length of the, main track 10 to propel the vehicles thereon by grips 55 fixed on the vehicles and capable of being coupled to the cable 56; drive means such as friction wheels 84 to engage friction surfaces 82 of the guide trolleys 44, 46, 62 spaced along the loop tracks 92, 94; points A and B connecting the main and loop tracks; and, prior to a points, e.g. A, two said guide rails 22 and 24 one of which is associated with each track 92 and 10 after the point A. The guide trolleys 44, 46, 62 have a lowered working position engaged with the corresponding guide rail, as trolley 46 in Fig. 2, and a raised non-working disengaged position, as trolley 62 in Fig. 2. Each vehicle 26 is always engaged, with at least one guide rail, and is engaged with only the guide rail of the selected track at the points, movement of the guide trolleys between their two positions being effected by normally horizontal ramps or flaps 98 which may be pivoted into the paths of operating wheels 74, 76, 78, 80 carried by the trolleys. Flaps 98 are positioned before points at GaA, .,.GrA, DaA, DrA, GaB and DrB to prepare guidance for the selected track, and are followed by rails 58 (shown at 58A and 58B) which disengage the grip 55 of the vehicle 26 from the traction cable 56. In order to avoid jerks as the vehicle drive changes from traction cable to friction wheels 84, a control system including hydraulic devices 108 and 112 is employed. The traction cable speed is picked-up by a tachometric generator 114 so that, via a control device, Fig. 9 (not shown), a set of wheels 84 linked by a shaft 102 in a deceleration zone X are initially driven in synchronization with the cable 56 as a vehicle enters the loop line 92. Hydraulic device 108 then operates as a pump to absorb energy from the vehicle 26 as it slows down, so that the wheels 84 in zone X effectively act as brakes. A following zone Y is a constant speed station zone in which wheels 84 linked by shaft 104 are driven by a motor 110, and is followed by an acceleration zone Z in which hydraulic device 112 acts as an engine driven by the energy from device 108 to accelerate the vehicle 26 ready for its return to the main track 10. Support wheels 28, 28<SP>1</SP>, 30, 30<SP>1</SP> of the vehicles 26, which run on the running rails 18, 20 and are pivotable about vertical pivots 32, 32<SP>1</SP>, 34, 34<SP>1</SP>, are steered in response to rotation of the guide trolleys about vertical pivots, e.g. 40, 42, by mechanical links, e.g. 52, 54 in order to follow curves in the tracks. Alternative drive means for the vehicles in the loop tracks may be linear induction motors, the field windings (146), Fig. 10 (not shown), of which are spaced along each loop track for cooperation with an armature (148) carried by each vehicle.